Fall Tears
by Hacked It Out and Fell
Summary: Choices made once by a boy who had grown to become a man and now those choices shape Tenchi's life. A story of growing up, of living and of life when you are no longer young.


Disclaimer : I do not own the rights of course to Tenchi and I hope you enjoy how I have borrowed them.  
  
Fall Tears  
  
Chapter one  
  
Spring gave way to merge with summer and summer gradually faded, under the instance of fall. Leaves on the mountain side shed their different tints of green to burst into a vivid collage of red, yellow and orange hues. The summer breeze that once was warm now called to winter with an icy breath as it blew through the grounds of the Misaki shrine.  
  
The world around the shrine had changed a great deal. Cities grew, small towns vanished under the weight of expanding urban needs and much of the old charm of the world was lost. Wars had ravaged the people and the planet but like a bad winter they finally ended to give way to peace, like spring that when given it's chance bloomed once more.  
  
The exterior of the Misaki shrine didn't look so different or the land around it, humble and peaceful as it had always been. The ever growing and changing world seemed to have misplaced or forgotten this one area.  
  
These thoughts all mused about the mind of the elderly gentleman that climbed the steps of the shrine. It seemed now his thoughts often turned to the past and to the people who once filled his life. Kneeling before the graves of his Mother, Father and Grandpa Tenchi Masaki began his morning prayers.  
  
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Washu stood waiting at the top of the steps, she was the only one of the girls that remained at he Masaki home and Shrine. Broom in hand she swept the leaves away that had rained down over the previous night. Her child like appearance never changed and she still would almost never answer to anything but Little Washu.  
  
Life though had changed for her too. Science and the pursuit of knowledge was always her first love and interest but other things had become more important to her. Though the chance to embarrass the boy who had freed her daughter was also important to her and she did so often by offering to have his child and even to this day he wouldn't know how to react to this joke. She knew that he was her first priority and not just for study, he would always be her little guinea pig, still though deep down she knew the real reason she cared so much was the fact he did not have the life span of a Jurain or a Royal Tree.  
  
Cooking, cleaning of the house and laundry had become her main chores, being his friend and companion over the years had been a gift to her and an honor. Though she would never admit it to him or anyone else she had come to think of Tenchi as one of her children.  
  
The thoughts of Tenchi as one of her children only came a few years ago as she reflected on how the boy from a small planet grew to be one of the most respected individuals of the Jurain people, courts and nobles. His own planet he was also known as a wise priest and greatly respected. It was this thought that filled her with pride, the kind of pride one feels for their child when he achieves greatness in any way and she came to realize she hadn't really thought of him as her science project for a vast number of years now.  
  
"So Little Washu am I that senile now that you feel you must also care for the grounds of the shrine for me?" came a deep voice that held the sound of teasing in it.  
  
Dropping her broom Washu jumped, she hadn't heard him come up behind her. In fact she was facing the direction he would have had to come. He purposely went around her and came from behind with the intent to spook her. "Your just like Yosho damn it, your sense of humor and how quiet you can move when you want" said the slightly annoyed scientist who was still holding her hand over her heart.  
  
Chuckling Tenchi apologized and they began to walk down the steps together. "So what brought you out here so early? Missed my charm and good looks?" Tenchi had finally learned to tease Washu back and they had grown to banter in such a way over the years.  
  
"Oh I wanted to see if you had changed your mind about me having your child is all Tenchi"  
  
Coughing he looked away "Alright Little Washu, you win what was the real reason you came?"  
  
Smirking she paused and looked over to Tenchi with a sly grin "The King of Jurai is coming for a visit this afternoon" she spoke softly.  
  
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Returning to the house Tenchi had to smile seeing that Washu had already cleaned the normally spotless house. A light and simple breakfast sat ready and he could see in the kitchen the beginnings of lunch already cooking.  
  
"So we are expecting them at lunch time I take it Little Washu?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh yes, I've also converted one room for a play area for the Royal Children." Washu answered as she chewed a bite of fish.  
  
"Will Sasami be with them this time?" asked the ageing Prince of Jurai.  
  
"No I don't believe she will be, it was only said to be the King, his wife and children."  
  
"I see and how long will this visit be for?" Trying to hide the disappointment in his voice Tenchi asked.  
  
"A week or so they said, it is just a small family holiday. They did make mention of taking a family vacation later this year, next spring when the planet is in bloom."  
  
"Ahh so they're trying to spend time with this old man before I kick the bucket eh?"  
  
"Wah! Stop that! It isn't funny Tenchi and you know it!" fumed Washu spilling her bowl of food.  
  
Chuckling he watched her try to clean up the rice she had lost when he said that. "Come now don't be so touchy about me saying that.  
We all know I'll be the first to pass, I don't have that long life Jurian's have and Funaho can only keep me alive for so long." he had grown thoughtful and quiet when he finished.  
  
The petite scientist didn't like thinking of loosing another she had grown close too. Deep inside she knew Tenchi was right about why they were visiting. An unexpected question though brought her from her thoughts.  
  
"By the way Little Washu has there been any word from Ryoko?"  
  
"No not since she left the last time. She won't let me in and I won't try to bring her back." There was a different sadness about Washu now as she thought of her lost daughter. "She was very angry that day when she ran away."  
  
"I hurt her, she had the right to be mad, she was not who I had chosen in the end" sighed a regretful Tenchi.  
  
That was almost a hundred and forty years ago Tenchi, you made the best possible choice you could have made, considering everyone that it effected." sympathized Washu.  
  
"I know Washu but the second time I rejected her was the hardest, but that is the past and we can not go back and undo it." he smiled his normal boyish grin that he never lost with time.  
  
"Still I didn't expect her to be hurt that I took your side the way she was. Your though it is in the past and all I hope to do is one day rebuild the relationship that twice now I have lost with my daughter." She stood and gathered the dishes. "but for now we live in the present and I do believe that the King of Jurai and his family has arrived."  
  
They both looked up to the sky through the skylight as overhead as the sounds a ship flying over could be heard. 


End file.
